


Butterflies

by toezi



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: M/M, Scoups and Hani are here too but minor so not tagging lol, Soulmate AU, Soulmate- butterfly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 13:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14749848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toezi/pseuds/toezi
Summary: Mingyu: When I'm around you I feel a million butterflies in my stomachJihoon: Why'd you eat that many butterflies before our date? I told you we were getting dinner!





	1. Caterpillar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by a tumblr post "Soulmate au where everyone is given a worm at birth"

“Some think love can be measured by the amount of butterflies in their tummy, but there is only one butterfly who truly knows. Your butterfly.”

The 7 year old smiled brightly as his mother pulled out a small box.

The young boy bounced on his bed with anticipation while his mother gently opened the box and scooped out a small caterpillar.

“Once you meet your soulmate, this caterpillar will turn into a beautiful butterfly. Until then, you must take very good care of it. Do you promise?”

The boy nodded happily and smiled at the insect in his small hands, “I promise.”

His mother tucked him into bed and kissed his forehead. “Goodnight, Mingyu.”

“Goodnight, mommy.”

She turned off the light and closed the door behind her.

Mingyu turned towards the caterpillar’s cage on his nightstand, “Goodnight, Bong Bong.”

 

 

There are 4 stages in a complete metamorphosis. A caterpillar in its second stage is gifted to a child by their parents, and continues to grow with the individual until they find their soulmate. A caterpillar will enter its final stage of metamorphosis- the pupa stage- the day a person first encounters their soulmate. Most are not aware that the final stage has began until the caterpillar is already enclosed by the chrysalis. They are then responsible for finding their soulmate before the chrysalis stage is completed, or else the butterfly will die, and so will the connection between two soulmates.

It takes approximately 10-14 days for a butterfly to emerge after the chrysalis is formed.

 

 

10-14 minutes is a waste of time for Jihoon.

“Jihoon, come on! It’s your birthday! We need to go out for at least one drink!”

“I’m getting a drink right now.” Jihoon exchanged his card for a cup of coffee, holding his phone away from his ear to combat the volume of Seungcheol’s pleading.

“Alcohol, Jihoon.” Seungcheol spelled out, annoyed. “You say I never do anything for you, let me at least take you out once!”

“Thank you.” Jihoon said to the cashier as he pocketed his card.

However, Seungcheol took this opportunity to weasel a night out of Jihoon. “Oh my dear friend you are absolutely welcome! I’ll pick you up from your place at 6!”

“Wait! Seungcheol n-”

Jihoon sighed as he stared at the call end screen.

He was stuck in the middle of a new song and he did not have time for Seungcheol’s antics. But, maybe a break would refuel him and spark a new creative rush. Or maybe this was just an excuse for him to avoid arguing with the older. Jihoon sighed and took a sip of his coffee, nearly bumping into another customer as he turned around.

“Oh! I’m sorry!”

 

 

10-14 minutes is how quickly Mingyu’s work day passed.

He works as a designer at an architect firm, and time flies by as he enjoys what he does. Mingyu would consider it his #2 passion. His first priority was caring for his caterpillar, Bongbong. Mingyu loved Bongbong since the first day they met, and has ached with curiosity to see it transform into a butterfly. He spent most of his time with Bongbong, save for his trips to the cafe and time at work. When he applied for his current position, he filled his portfolio with pictures of extravagant homes and enclosures that he built for Bongbong.

He’s just a sweet bug guy.


	2. Butterfly

“Yellow!”

Jihoon took a mental note to tell Seungcheol to never answer the phone like that again, before addressing more important matters: “Seungcheol, did- did I meet anybody at the club last night?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Are you sure, Seungcheol.”

“I’m positive. Everything good?”

“It’s… Worm.”

“Your caterpillar? Is it okay?”

“I woke up this morning and it wasn’t there. Well, it was there but…”

“You met your soulmate!”

Seungcheol’s excitement made Jihoon sick to his stomach. “But I don’t remember anything that happened yesterday.”

“Uhhh… you got coffee yesterday around noon? Why don’t you try there?”

It was already 11:20 so Jihoon thanked Seungcheol before rushing to the cafe near his apartment.

“Excuse me, uh… Is your caterpillar pupating?”

 

 

“Is your caterpillar pupating?” excited and impatient, Mingyu questioned the cashier. He often frequents this cafe for a morning bagel, but the cashier was the only person he recognized from yesterday.

“No, sorry.”

Like most, Mingyu was retracing his steps, hoping that his soulmate was doing the same and that they would run into each other again. He had always anticipated the day that BongBong would grow up.

He walked briskly around town, trying his best to copy every foot step from the day before and scan every face for even one similarity. But throughout his day, nobody stood out to him.

 

 

Jihoon had lost sleep over this. The nights he managed to get sleep, he had nightmares of Worm dying. 13 days had passed. Tomorrow would be the last, if Worm was lucky enough to have the max number of pupating days.

He knew he was at fault, for forgetting the day. He tested a new routine everyday, hoping that he would get it right and be recognized. But so far, nothing had worked. He had let his soulmate down.

 

 

Mingyu looked terrible. He was exhausted from repeating the same day over and over for 12? 15 days? He had lost track of time. He followed his route purely through muscle memory now.  
8:00- wake up  
8:12- shower  
9:00- buy a bagel at the cafe  
9:45- sit in the park and watch squirrels  
10:22- run because the subway leaves at 10:30  
10:32

Mingyu plopped down on the same seat he had occupied for 2 weeks.

“Still no luck today, Mingyu?”

“Still nothing.”

Heeyeon took the same route to work, departing just a stop earlier than Mingyu. She’s sat next to him everyday since Mingyu recognized her and berated her with hopeful questions. She would often point out any new face in the car “Is that them?” “Oh how about that one?”. Mingyu appreciated her attempts to help, but they were all fruitless.  
Heeyeon’s stop was soon called out over the speakers. “You’ll find your soulmate soon. In fact, I feel like today might be the day!” she squeezed Mingyu’s shoulder before she departed with the rest of the crowd.

“You having soulmate troubles too?”

Mingyu looked up at the owner of the voice, a black haired boy sitting directly across from him, now visible due to the clearance of the standing passengers.

“Yeah, You wouldn’t happen to be my soulmate would you?” he joked, half anguished, half hopeful.

“Sorry buddy, you just missed my time frame.”

“You mean your caterpillar…”

“Died. Yeah.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that.”

The stranger shrugged his shoulders in response.

Mingyu was heartbroken for this stranger. Despaired that he may be in the same position himself. But he believed that there was still time.

“Well, this is my stop.” he stood up before the announcement and toppled a bit due to the movements of the subway.

He reached out his hand to the stranger “Mingyu. Nice meeting you.”

“Good luck, Mingyu.” the stranger accepted his handshake with a firm grip.

10:56- exit subway and head to work

 

 

Jihoon unlocked his door and dropped his keys on the counter.

“I’m home, Worm.” he greeted, out of habit, before backtracking.

“Worm?”

Jihoon’s rubbed his eyes, unsure if his mind was playing a cruel joke on him.

But this was real.

Worm’s chrysalis had fallen to the floor and the cage was now occupied by a butterfly.

Jihoon admired Worm’s new form for a minute before realizing.

He only talked to one person today.

“Worm! He doesn’t know my name!”

He grabbed his keys and he ran, he ran as fast as he could back to the subway.

He knew, logically, that he would never be able to find him again with only a subway stop and a first name. So he waited. If he was on his way to work, then he would come back the same way.

 

 

5:15- walk to subway

As the day dragged on, Mingyu couldn’t stop thinking about the stranger on the subway. He feared that he would someday accept never having a soulmate just like that stranger had seemed to.

“Mingyu!”

Mingyu looked up, surprised to see the stranger, breathless and red. “Are you okay?”

“Jihoon.”

“What?”

“My name is Jihoon.” He repeated in between heavy breathes, unsure if he was breathless from running 20 minutes ago, or from the rush of nerves coursing through him.

“Oka-”

“You’re the only person I talked to today. I had given up all hope. I’m so so sorry,” Jihoon took a deep breath and stared at his feet as he continued, “I got drunk on our first day. This must have been so hard for you, I’ll make up everything. I’ll repay you these 15 days. I’ll repay you with everyday. I’m sorry, mingyu.”

“What do you…”

Jihoon looked up at Mingyu, eyes teary. “You’re my soulmate, Mingyu.”

Mingyu smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe....  
> Scoups yells so much I could imagine him answering the phone with a "yellow!" instead of hello. Also I'm just,,,,,,, a big softie for Hani and Mingyu being friends.
> 
> I have Tumblr! @toezi  
> and twitter! @arrozconuji  
> Come talk to me ^_^


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